Until They Meet Again? Loudoun Soccer Teams One Win Away from Rematches

(June 2, 2009) – So far this postseason the biggest challenge for Dulles District teams has come from each other but they could all change Tuesday as four teams — Broad Run boys and girls, Heritage girls and Potomac Falls — take to the fields in VHSL AA state tournament quarterfinals.

The last time the four teams played was on Saturday in All-Dulles District Region II finals with the Broad Run girls, looking to repeat its AA state title, beating Heritage, 3-0, and the Potomac Falls boys defeating Broad Run, 2-1, with a dramatic goal by Conor Shanosky with about 20 seconds left in overtime.

The Dulles District teams can face each other once again — it would be a fifth meeting in each match-up — in the state semifinals in Radford on Friday but they must win first on Tuesday against unknown opponents. So far this postseason, Dulles Distric soccer teams are a combined 7-0 against out of area competition, out-scoring them by an overwhelming 18-1.

Tonight’s match-ups include the Potomac Falls boys hosting Grafton at 6 p.m. and the Broad Run girls hosting Jamestown at 6 p.m. at Park View High School (the game being moved for better field conditions and also due to parking concerns at BR with a softball game slated and a non-sports event). On the road, the Broad Run boys will be at Jamestown and the Heritage girls will be at Courtland.

On the boys side, BR and PF will have their work cut out as Jamestown and Grafton advanced to the state finals last season with Jamestown winning 3-0. 

Broad Run girls soccer coach Claire Collins is already getting emotional about her group of seniors that have gone 44-0-1 the past two seasons and are now just three wins away this week from wrapping up a second straight AA state title.

Senior captain Holly King has the catalyst for the Spartans since her sophomore year and the University of Floriday recruit has elevated her game this postseason, scoring five of the Spartans six goals and assisting on the sixth goal, in Broad Run’s combined 3-0 semifinal win over Charlottesville and 3-0 win Saturday over district foe Heritage. The Pride have played BR four times this season and are still looking for their first goal against BR keeper Caitlin Hunter (UNC-Wilmington recruit) and the Spartan defense. Of course, BR has give up just four goals all year — that is a span of 1,690 minutes of soccer.

The Heritage girls are making their first state tournament appearance since the school opened in 2002-03 and the Pride have advanced by a pair of 1-0 regional wins prior to the finals.

A little known high school soccer rule change several years ago rewards possession to a team on an indirect free kick when play is stopped with a team in complete possession of the ball. At other levels of soccer play anytime an official stops play without the ball going out of play, a drop ball is used for the restart.

That rule became important in the Region II finals as play was stopped in the boys game with less than a minute to play when a BR player was injured. When it was time for the restart, the BR players appeared ready for a drop ball but PF correctly was awarded a kick and they took advantage by playing the ball quickly into the left corner and then a ball was bent back into the 18.

This is when junior Conor Shanosky showed why he is one of the top soccer players in the area as he out-muscled the defense to chest the ball down and then turned, and before the ball could hit the turf at Park View, he volleyed a left-footed shot that nicked the left post and went in for the game-winning goal.

Before that play it appeared that the game was destined for Golden Goal and maybe Penalty Kicks as two teams that know each other very well struggled to find a competitive advantage.

PF led early on a great goal by Dulles District and Region II Player of the Year Asa Fox, who got possession after his own free kick was cycled back out and split two defenders, passed to Shanosky who gave it right back to the swift Fox, who then beat the keeper for a nice goal.

In the second half, Broad Run got the equalizer on a free kick by Danny Reategui that was headed in by a sprinting Kevin Reitzel.